Joshua:The fitting end to the Pentateuch – FULFILLMENT OF THE PROMISE!!!Entrance into the Land.

Joshua as New
Moses:Crossing of Sea >Crossing of Jordan;Sinai Covenant>Covenant RenewalGilgal, Shechem, Shiloh.Ch.
8:30-35 and ch. 24 as reflecting ancient practice of worship/ritual/liturgy.Re-enactment of Sea Crossing with triumphal procession of Ark and reading
of Law book, blessings/curses?Altar of Witness.Tabernacle
at Shiloh cult center >> Deuteronomy/Deuteronomistic History written here?

Conquest as programmatic,
Victorious – promise fulfilled!Conflicts
with version in Judges(Some overlap,
Literary Purpose can account for difference:Purpose of Judges to explain failures.)Moral/Ethical
dilemma re conquest (but note archaeological evidence for new settlements):Must explain where Israelites came from!
>> Leads to alternative scholarly theories:“Peaceful Infiltration” of semi-nomads from Transjordan (some escaped
from Egypt – okay)settling in areas not previously occupied, only local skirmishes.“Revolting Peasants” – disgruntled Canaanites leave urban centers
and band together in hillscreating new “slave ethic” of equality=egalitarian society.
(Mendenhall, Marxist interpr)“Nomads Settling Down” – always lived in area, but now making
permanent settlements.Some mix of above.Cop Out? Or Common Sense? “Mixed Multitude” refs in Bible.Can
Archaeology help?“Conquest”
dated to this period partly because of major wave of destructions,But these destructions not necessarily connectable with biblical
accounts.Jericho and Ai: Paradigm and anti-paradigm.If God is with us- NO PROBLEM!If
not- forget it!Megiddo and other destructions: NOT by Israel. Bible says didn’t
conquer. Egyptian control continues.Arad, Kadesh-Barnea named as destroyed but no occupation levels from this
period…Rameses II as Pharaoh of Exodus, Merneptah Stella 1209, Tausert faience
juglet 1200.(Biblical chronologies would date 150 years earlier.Bimson’s redating.Note
evidence in Hill ch. 3 & 8)Also the arrival of the Philistines – Invasion of Sea Peoples bring
major destructions on coast.Major changes in settlement patterns – YES.Many new small settlements in hill country.

Text refs to
writing, reading, and previously written sources (eg Book of Jashar/Wars);
‘until this day.’

Judges:Explaining the ultimate failure of the Tribal League and the need for
Monarchy.Conflict with Conquest account in Joshua, emphasizes failure and blames
this on incomplete conquest.
Pattern/Refrain built into
structure, downward spiral of league, very much pro-kingship.Apostasy
(forget God), Oppression, Repentance and Cry for Help, Deliverance, Peace.Repeat.“The Israelites did evil… In those days there was no king
in Israel, and each did what was right in his own eyes.”Eventually a
disintegration of pattern: no peace between crises.Rock bottom is
story of Levite’s concubine (even the Canaanites would never be so wicked!)and near
genocide of the entire Tribe of Benjamin, “solved” by staged kidnapping and
rape.
BUT:Over-all Chiastic Structure is ANTI-Kingship!Gideon/Abimelech: paradigmatic Judge/Anti-Judge.Central point is:You cannot have a human king becauseGod is your King!This pro/anti-monarchy conflict
continued through 1Samuel.But
monarchy necessitated by Philistines pressure:The need for a standing army, the need for orderly succession, continuity
in leadership (else lose gains)
Charismatic leadership ideal as
exemplified by all Judges, continued with Saul and David.Othniel, Ehud, Deborah, Gideon, Jephthah, Samson (must read all of these
fascinating stories).
Unity vs. Disunity issues:Local hero stories collected and presented as national history, but
really local conflicts.Cf Song of Deborah, tribal infighting, “Shibboleth” incident.

Asst. 5 (due Friday, for
discussion): Is the Book of Judges primarily for or against kingship? What is
your evidence?